Apparatus for sinking down bridge piers



June 12, 1928.

A 1,672,936 s. HARA APPARATUS FOR SINKING DOWN BRIDGE PIERS 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 15, 1926 Patented it... 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES snoYEMoN HABA, or wmyem KEN, JAPAN.

APPARATUS FOR SINKING DOWN BRIDGE PIEBS.

Application filed April 13, 1926, Serial 110. 101,768, an'd in Japan June 19, 1925. f

This invention relates to an apparatus for sinking down bridge piers of a hollowcylindrical or oval section under the bottom of water while digging out the soil within the piers at the same time.

The object of the invention 1s to sink a pier in the right position by shifting a digging point in any desired direction.

The apparatus is fixed on the top of a pier placed at the desired position on the bottom of the water. It is provided with a beam able to move up and down between guides on either side of the frame of the ap the top.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1, shows the side elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 2, the plan,

Fig. 3, the sectional front elevation,

Fig. 4, the front elevation of the upper sprocket wheel and adjusting device of the same, and Fig. 5, side elevation of them.

In the drawings, ('36) shows the section of a concrete pier to be sunk at the desired position. (2) base frame of the apparatus, (1) (1) two vertical columns firmly attached to the base frame (2), (4) beam which can move up and down along the vertical guide surfaces of the columns 1) (1), (3) Vertical screw shaft which moves the beam up and down by its rotation, (5) and (6) two parallel shafts across the beam in which the shaft (5) is situated above the beam and the shaft (6) is situated under the beam and supported on a bearing and a hanger fixed on the beam (4) respectively.

A sprocket wheel or tumbler (10) is mounted on the shaft (5) and a framed structure (7) suspended on the shaft (6). This framed structure {(7) consists of several sections which are joined together lzy)couplings as shown at (8), so that frame can be lengthened as desired by increas- "belt (11).

(10) is also made a square or a polygonal section in conformity with the shaft, so that the tumbler (10) can slide along the shaft (5): Two loose collars (13) (13) are slipped on the ends of the tumbler (10) and are provided-with forked arms as shown at (14), between the forked ends of which the top eids of the framed structure (7 are in serte ing the number of sections which'constitute Theshaft (6) which is screw-threaded is 1 passed through the forked ends (14) and the top ends of the framed structure (7), and a handle or hand wheel (15) is mounted on one end of the shaft (6).

The outer form of the upper tumbler (10) is made polygonal, each side of which correspond to the length of one link of the On the alternate faces of the tumbler (10) and situated between the links at either side, trough like projections (17) are made to serve as a guide to discharge soils or other substances in regular order.

(18) is a shoot for. discharging soils or other substances out of the apparatus.

(19) is a frame work attached to the lower part of the suspended framed structure (7). The lower ends of two ropes (20) (20) are connected with either side of the frame (19), while the upper ends are wound .in opposite directions on the winding shaft-s (21) (21) which are mounted on the top of the main frame of the apparatus.

Worm Wheels (22) are mounted on the ends of the'winding shafts while a sprocket wheel 25 is mounted on a shaft (24), the

latter carrying worms (23) which engage with the worm wheels (22) to effect rotation of the shaft (24).

An endless chain (26) is mounted about the sprocket wheel (25) on the shaft (24). Worm wheels (27) are mounted on the up per ends of the threaded shafts (3) which move the beam (4) 11p and down by means shafts The following is the manner of carrying my invention into practice The pier is first placed vertically upon the bottom of water, and then the apparatus is laid on the top of it. The beam (4) is moved up to the highest position of the column, and the lowest bucket of the suspended frame (7) is kept in such a state as to be buried under the bottom of water, and then the prime mover is put into operation.

The buckets dig, the bottom of the water by the movement of the endless link belt (11).

The beam (4) is gradually lowered down as the excavating work proceeds, and the pier is caused to sink down by its own weight and that of the apparatus. T bus, the whole pier will become buried under the bottom of the water. Then, the apparatus is taken away and the next pier 1s laid upon the top of the pier just buried. The apparatus is again placed thereon and the suspended frame work and endless link belt are lengthened, and the process repeatedin the same manner as before. Thus, the pier is driven a down to the desired depth.

During the operation above described, the pier will sometimes be inclined instead of sinking down vertically. When it is inclined right or left,,rotate the Winding shaft (24). accordingly by means of the chain (26), and one of the ropes (20) and (20') will be wound upon the shaft (24) and the other loosened, and thus the lower end of the suspended frame work (7) may be moved right or left. lVhen the hole excavated by the bucket is inclined, the suspended frame work (7). together with the upper tumbler (10) may be shifted right or left by means of the forked arm 13), screw shaft (6), and the hand wheel (15). Thus, the piers can be easily sunk down vertically.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for anchoring a pier consisting of a main frame structure adapted to rest on the top of a pier when the latter is situated'in a osition in which it is to be sunk, a secon ary framework vertically adjustable in the main framework and including an endless link belt which carries a series of buckets which is adapted to be sus pended within the pier, means on the secondary framework for adjusting said link belt structure transversely of the main framework, and other means for maintaining the link belt structure to either side of the vertical, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the last mentioned means is manually operable and is mounted on the secondary framework and operably connected to the pier and operably associated with the lower portion of the link belt, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a frame adapted to be arranged on a pier to be sunk and including a base, opposed vertical guides thereon, opposed cross beams vertically adjustable in the guides, a shaft rotatable 0n the cross beams and having the medial portion square in cross section, an endless bucket arrangement embodying a frame structure, upper sprocket wheels slidable on and rotatable with the shaft, and hangers journalled on the sides of the wheels and suspended therefrom, a

threaded shaft journalled in the cross beams beneath the other shaft and engaged by the hangers and frame structure, and means for rotating the threaded shaft so as to adjust the endless bucket arrangement-between the cross beams.

4. Apparatus as claimed. in claim 3, wherein manually operable means is'mounted on the cross beams and adapted to be connected signature.

' SHOYEMON HARA.

'with the pier to be sunk and operably asso-. 

